Insured vehicle owners need a reality check about drunk driving

It was revealed by the Department of Transport on the 17th of December that, since the start of December, more than 2 000 drivers were arrested for drinking and driving on South African roads. More than 500 were arrested in the Eastern Cape alone and a further 320 in KwaZulu-Natal.

In attempts to curb this drunk driving behaviour the Western Cape launched the Safely Home Anti-Drunk Driving Operations War Room (SHADOW). This facility which is sponsored by the SAB will assist with enforcement and is equipped to accurately measure a driver’s blood alcohol concentration level through a single breath sample.

It has also been revealed that the R50-million ‘reality check’ campaign is the largest investment to date by the SAB in raising awareness about the negative consequences of irresponsible drinking. Intended to be a complementary campaign to other external and internal programmes, both from SAB and other companies and strategic stakeholders (such as law enforcement agencies and government), the campaign aims to educate drinkers on the personal and societal consequences of drinking while pregnant and driving under the influence.

On the car insurance blog many of our visitors has come to the Blog via search engines by asking the question “Will my insurance pay if I drive drunk?”

At this time of the festive season, it is important not only to share and create awareness of the dangers of drunk driving, but also share a few realities with our insured car owners:

Will my car insurance pay if I drive drunk?

No – if it is found that you were driving drunk, your insurer may reject your insurance claim?

Will drunk driving affect my insurance premium?

Yes – if asked for previous convictions or traffic violations and it is declared that you were convicted of drunk driving, your insurance premium will be increased base on the higher risk that you present as a driver. Failure to disclose these facts will be fraud and may lead to your claim being rejected.

How much is too much to drink before exceeding the legal limit?

As a general guide more than 2 drinks will take you over the legal limit. There are however many variables that could affect your breath and blood measurement.

How much may I drink to be a safe driver?

The answer is NONE! Alcohol leads to impairment of driving ability and even the slightest impairment of driving ability, reflex, concentration and other ability presents a danger when faced with an emergency!

Ask yourself the following question – if I am suddenly faced with another vehicle coming into my lane and threatening my safety in an emergency – how alert and physically fit would I want to be?

Best advice is not to drink and drive! Get a designated driver or drink at home!